U.S. patent number 9,785,612 [Application Number 13/995,117] was granted by the patent office on 2017-10-10 for method and device for determining a range of a vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to ROBERT BOSCH GmbH. The grantee listed for this patent is Andreas Engelsberg, Fanny Kobiela, Michael Laedke, Thorsten Mausbach, Werner Poechmueller, Bettina Rentel, Guido Stuebner. Invention is credited to Andreas Engelsberg, Fanny Kobiela, Michael Laedke, Thorsten Mausbach, Werner Poechmueller, Bettina Rentel, Guido Stuebner.
United States Patent |
9,785,612 |
Poechmueller , et
al. |
October 10, 2017 |
Method and device for determining a range of a vehicle
Abstract
A method for determining a range of a vehicle, the vehicle
having an electric motor to supply driving power and/or to
recuperate braking energy, and a weight of the vehicle is
determined on the basis of an acceleration and/or recuperation
behavior as a function of a torque and/or a rotational speed of the
electric motor, the range of the vehicle being determined on the
basis of the ascertained vehicle weight.
Inventors: |
Poechmueller; Werner
(Hildesheim, DE), Kobiela; Fanny (Walheim,
DE), Rentel; Bettina (Giesen/Emmerke, DE),
Laedke; Michael (Hildesheim, DE), Stuebner; Guido
(Hannover, DE), Mausbach; Thorsten (Schwieberdingen,
DE), Engelsberg; Andreas (Hildesheim, DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Poechmueller; Werner
Kobiela; Fanny
Rentel; Bettina
Laedke; Michael
Stuebner; Guido
Mausbach; Thorsten
Engelsberg; Andreas |
Hildesheim
Walheim
Giesen/Emmerke
Hildesheim
Hannover
Schwieberdingen
Hildesheim |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
ROBERT BOSCH GmbH (Stuttgart,
DE)
|
Family
ID: |
44907829 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/995,117 |
Filed: |
October 20, 2011 |
PCT
Filed: |
October 20, 2011 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2011/068338 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
September 17, 2013 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2012/079811 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
June 21, 2012 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20140005879 A1 |
Jan 2, 2014 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 17, 2010 [DE] |
|
|
10 2010 063 436 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C
21/3469 (20130101); G01G 19/086 (20130101); G06F
17/00 (20130101); B60W 50/0097 (20130101); Y02T
10/7291 (20130101); B60W 30/18127 (20130101); B60L
2240/26 (20130101); B60L 2240/64 (20130101); B60W
2530/10 (20130101); Y02T 90/16 (20130101); Y02T
90/161 (20130101); B60W 2556/50 (20200201); B60W
2552/20 (20200201); Y02T 10/72 (20130101); B60L
2260/52 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
17/00 (20060101); G01C 21/34 (20060101); G01G
19/08 (20060101); B60W 50/00 (20060101); B60W
30/18 (20120101) |
Field of
Search: |
;701/22 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
101900565 |
|
Dec 2010 |
|
CN |
|
197 28 769 |
|
Jan 1999 |
|
DE |
|
102 44 789 |
|
Apr 2004 |
|
DE |
|
60 2004 003 387 |
|
Oct 2007 |
|
DE |
|
10 2009 058 328 |
|
Jul 2010 |
|
DE |
|
10 2009 008 327 |
|
Aug 2010 |
|
DE |
|
0 903 712 |
|
Mar 1999 |
|
EP |
|
WO 2010043833 |
|
Apr 2010 |
|
FR |
|
59-160720 |
|
Sep 1984 |
|
JP |
|
9-327102 |
|
Dec 1997 |
|
JP |
|
2001-112121 |
|
Apr 2001 |
|
JP |
|
2007-245872 |
|
Sep 2007 |
|
JP |
|
2009070357 |
|
Apr 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2009120073 |
|
Jun 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2009126257 |
|
Jun 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2009-171727 |
|
Jul 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2010-25910 |
|
Feb 2010 |
|
JP |
|
2010-169423 |
|
Aug 2010 |
|
JP |
|
2010-253978 |
|
Nov 2010 |
|
JP |
|
5286323 |
|
Sep 2013 |
|
JP |
|
2008-0078982 |
|
Aug 2008 |
|
KR |
|
WO 2010/043833 |
|
Apr 2010 |
|
WO |
|
WO 2010043833 |
|
Apr 2010 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
Besselink et al., Design of an efficient, low weight battery
electric vehicle based on a VW Lupo 3L, Nov. 9-5, 2010, EVS-25.
cited by examiner .
International Search Report, PCT International Application No.
PCT/EP2011/068338, dated Jan. 26, 2012. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Black; Thomas G
Assistant Examiner: Lewandroski; Sara
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Messina; Gerard
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A motor vehicle drive train, comprising: an electric motor to
provide at least one of driving power, and to recuperate braking
energy; and a device for determining a range of a vehicle, the
vehicle having an electric motor to supply at least one of driving
power and to recuperate braking energy, and at least one control
unit, the control unit designed to determine a weight of the
vehicle as a function of recuperation data, and to determine a
range of the vehicle from the determined vehicle weight, wherein
brake energy recuperation by the electric motor is controlled on
the basis of the determined vehicle weight, wherein the brake
energy recuperation by the electric motor recharges an accumulator
of the vehicle, and wherein the recuperation data includes the
following: 1) a requested deceleration of the vehicle, 2) a
recuperative braking portion of additional braking systems, 3) an
actual deceleration of the vehicle, and 4) an increase in charge
energy of the accumulator of the vehicle.
2. The motor vehicle drive train as recited in claim 1, wherein the
weight of the vehicle is also determined as a function of at least
one of: i) an acceleration behavior, ii) a machine torque, and iv)
a rotational speed of the electric motor.
3. A device for determining a range of a vehicle, the vehicle
having an electric motor to supply at least one of driving power
and to recuperate braking energy, and at least one control unit,
the control unit designed to determine a weight of the vehicle as a
function of recuperation data, and to determine a range of the
vehicle from the determined vehicle weight, wherein brake energy
recuperation by the electric motor is controlled on the basis of
the determined vehicle weight, wherein the brake energy
recuperation by the electric motor recharges an accumulator of the
vehicle, and wherein the recuperation data includes the following:
1) a requested deceleration of the vehicle, 2) a recuperative
braking portion of additional braking systems, 3) an actual
deceleration of the vehicle, and 4) an increase in charge energy of
the accumulator of the vehicle.
4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein the weight of the
vehicle is also determined as a function of at least one of: i) an
acceleration behavior, ii) a machine torque, and iv) a rotational
speed of the electric motor.
5. A method for determining a range of a vehicle, the vehicle
having an electric motor to provide driving power and to recover
braking energy, the method comprising: determining a weight of the
vehicle as a function of recuperation data; and determining the
range of the vehicle from the determined vehicle weight, wherein
brake energy recuperation by the electric motor is controlled on
the basis of the determined vehicle weight, wherein the brake
energy recuperation by the electric motor recharges an accumulator
of the vehicle, and wherein the recuperation data includes the
following: 1) a requested deceleration of the vehicle, 2) a
recuperative braking portion of additional braking systems, 3) an
actual deceleration of the vehicle, and 4) an increase in charge
energy of the accumulator of the vehicle.
6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the weight of the
vehicle is also determined as a function of at least one of: i) an
acceleration behavior, ii) a machine torque, and iv) a rotational
speed of the electric motor.
7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
determined under an assumption of a specific vehicle weight at a
start of a trip, at least one of the following is used to determine
the vehicle weight: i) at least one of a net weight of the vehicle,
an average weight of an adult person, a determined number of
passengers based on seat sensors, and a particular vehicle weight
of the previous ride, and ii) a weight determined via a learning
process.
8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
determined after a vehicle has started and is one of interrupted or
terminated when a door or a trunk of the vehicle is opened.
9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
made available to different control devices of the motor
vehicle.
10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein determined values of
the vehicle weight are checked with regard to plausibility and,
based on the check, are either taken into account in unchanged
form, at modified weightings, or are not taken into account at
all.
11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
determined after one of an acceleration or recuperation process has
been concluded.
12. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
averaged across a plurality of measured values of the vehicle
weight.
13. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein damping of a chassis
of the motor vehicle is controlled on the basis of the vehicle
weight.
14. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
determined taking one of a vehicle speed, or an air movement, into
account.
15. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vehicle weight is
determined as a function at least one of: route information, a
gradient of a road course, a vehicle orientation, and an altitude
of the vehicle above or below NN.
16. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the range is
additionally determined as a function of a scheduled or likely
route course.
Description
FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for determining a range
of a vehicle, the vehicle having an electric motor to provide
driving power and/or to recover braking energy. In addition, the
present invention relates to a device for determining a range of a
vehicle, the vehicle having an electric motor to supply driving
power and/or to recover braking energy, and at least one control
unit to implement the afore-mentioned method. Moreover, the present
invention relates to a motor vehicle drive train having an electric
motor to supply driving power and/or to recover braking energy, and
a device of the type mentioned above.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the field of automotive driving technology, an electric machine
is widely used as the sole drive (electrical vehicle) or it is used
jointly with a drive motor of a different type (hybrid drive). In
addition, the drive motor is often used to supply the driving
power, and to recover braking energy in generator operation.
Because of the relatively low electrical range, hybrid vehicles and
purely electrically driven vehicles require the most precise range
estimate possible, so that the availability of the vehicle can be
predicted and planned correctly. The range of an electric vehicle
is influenced by numerous factors, e.g., the vehicle speed,
gradient, electrical consumers in the vehicle.
The conventional methods for determining the range of an electric
vehicle are not very precise because relevant influencing
quantities are not taken into account.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
better method and a corresponding device for determining the range
of an electrical vehicle.
SUMMARY
An example method for determining a range of a vehicle is provided
according to the present invention, the vehicle having an electric
motor to supply driving power and/or to recover braking energy, and
a weight of the vehicle is determined on the basis of an
acceleration and/or recuperation behavior as a function of a torque
of the electric motor, the range of the vehicle being determined on
the basis of the vehicle weight.
An example device for determining a range of a vehicle is also
provided, the vehicle having an electric motor to supply driving
power and/or to recover braking energy, and a control unit
developed to implement the afore-mentioned example method.
An example motor vehicle drive train and device is also provided,
having an electric motor to supply driving power and/or to recover
braking energy.
In accordance with the present invention, the range of an
electrically operated vehicle is able to be determined more
precisely, since a main limitation factor, or a main influencing
quantity of the range--the vehicle weight--is determined and taken
into account when ascertaining the range. In so doing, the behavior
of the vehicle is considered when determining the vehicle weight,
i.e., the acceleration and/or the recuperation behavior of the
electric motor as a function of the provided torque or as a
function of the torque applied by the vehicle in braking operations
during generator operation. Since the vehicle weight directly
affects the acceleration or deceleration behavior of the vehicle as
a function of the torque, the vehicle weight is able to be
determined directly from the measured data of the electric motor.
Because the current vehicle weight is known as a result of the
measurement and has a considerable influence on the range of the
vehicle, it is possible to determine the range more precisely using
the current weight data.
It is especially preferred if the range is furthermore determined
on the basis of a scheduled route characteristic.
This makes it possible to consider additional important influencing
parameters such as gradients and downhill slopes in the
calculation, which makes the weight and thus the range
determination still more precise.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is determined
also on the basis of route information, especially a gradient of
the road course, a vehicle orientation and/or an altitude of the
vehicle above or below NN.
This makes it possible to optimize the determination of the vehicle
weight, since external influences that may lead to false
interpretations are excluded.
It is furthermore preferred if the electric motor, and in
particular the brake-energy recovery by the electric motor, is
controlled on the basis of the determined vehicle weight.
In this way the actuation of the electric motor and, in particular,
the braking instant in recuperation operation, is able to be
adapted to the vehicle weight, which makes the electric drive and,
in particular, the recuperation, especially efficient.
It is furthermore preferred if a chassis of the motor vehicle, and
in particular damping of the chassis of the motor vehicle, is
controlled on the basis of the determined vehicle weight.
In this way the vehicle dynamics are able to be controlled in a
particularly precise manner, since the current vehicle weight
constitutes a special influence parameter in this regard.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is determined
while considering a driving speed or an air flow, especially an air
flow that is independent of the vehicle movement (direction,
speed).
In this way an influence of the wind on the measurement of the
vehicle weight is able to be reduced or excluded.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is averaged
across a multitude of measured values.
This minimizes measuring inaccuracies and environmental
influences.
It is furthermore especially preferred if the vehicle weight is
determined after an acceleration or recuperation process has been
concluded.
This reduces the computational work when determining the vehicle
weight from the obtained measured values.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is made available
to different control units of the motor vehicle.
This makes it possible to utilize synergies between the individual
vehicle components in more optimal manner.
It is furthermore preferred if individual values of the vehicle
weight are checked for plausibility and the values are discarded
following a negative plausibility check, in particular.
This eliminates measuring errors and makes the determined vehicle
weight more precise.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is determined
after starting the trip and interrupted or terminated if a door or
a trunk of the vehicle is opened. This minimizes measuring errors
caused by weight fluctuations, for instance because a person gets
out or an item is removed.
It is furthermore preferred if the vehicle weight is determined
under the assumption of the specific vehicle weight at the start of
a trip, and, in particular, a net weight of the vehicle, an average
weight of an adult person, a determined number of passengers on the
basis of seat sensors or the like, and/or a particular vehicle
weight of the previous ride and/or a weight determined via a
learning process, which may consider the date, day of the week
and/or time of day, for example, are/is used to determine the
vehicle weight.
In general, the present method makes the range estimate of the
vehicle more precise, without requiring an additional sensor
system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 in schematic form, shows a motor vehicle including a drive
train, which is equipped with an electric machine and a device for
actuating this machine.
FIG. 2 in schematic form, shows a flow chart of an example method
for determining a range of a vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 schematically shows a motor vehicle, which is denoted by 12
as a whole. Motor vehicle 10 has a drive train 12, which in the
present case includes an electric machine 14 to provide driving
power. Drive train 12 drives driven wheels 16L, 16R of vehicle
10.
Electric machine 14 supplies a torque t at an output shaft and
rotates at an adjustable rotational speed n.
Drive train 12 may be set up to drive vehicle 10 on its own, with
the aid of electric machine 14 (electric vehicle). As an
alternative, electric polyphase machine 14 may be part of a hybrid
drive train 12, and the drive train may include an additional
driving motor (not denoted further in FIG. 1) such as a combustion
engine or the like. In such a case, the drive train may
additionally include a transmission and the like.
Drive train 12 and electric machine 14 may be set up to generate
electric energy in overrun operation and/or during braking
processes in generator operation of electric machine 14.
Electric machine 14 is actuated by means of power electronics 18.
The power electronics are connected to an energy supply 20, such as
an accumulator 20 of vehicle 10, and used to convert a direct
voltage supplied by accumulator 20, for instance into a three-phase
alternating current or into a single-phase alternating current, in
order to supply electric machine 14 with electric energy.
Furthermore, power electronics 18 is set up to convert recuperation
energy generated by electric machine 14 into a direct voltage and
to use it to recharge accumulator 20. In addition, motor vehicle 10
has one or more control unit(s) 22, which are/is connected to
accumulator 20, power electronics 18, and electric machine 14.
Control unit(s) 22 control(s) electric machine 14 via power
electronics 18 and furthermore record(s) measured values of
electric machine 14, power electronics 18 and accumulator 20.
Moreover, control unit(s) is/are connected to a control device 24,
which is set up to control additional components of drive train 12
and/or to record measured values of drive train 12. In addition,
control unit(s) 22 is/are connected to a display device 26, which
is set up to inform the driver about the vehicle state or the like.
Furthermore, via a network 28 of vehicle 10, control unit(s) 22
is/are connected to additional control devices and/or sensors,
which are denoted by 30 in general in FIG. 1. Control unit(s) 22
provide(s) measured values to other control devices 30, via network
28. Control unit(s) 22 receive(s) data and measured values from the
control devices and/or sensors 30, via network 28, in order to
optimize calculations on the basis of additional data. A special
synergy effect of the different control devices 30 in motor vehicle
10 is achievable in this manner.
A weight of vehicle 10 is determined on the basis of an
acceleration and/or recuperation behavior of electric machine 14,
as a function of torque t and/or rotational speed n. In addition,
control device(s) 22 record(s) the charge state of accumulator 20
and is/are able to determine the available electric energy in this
manner. Based on the vehicle weight and the charge state of
accumulator 20 as well as potential additional data, e.g., the
energy consumption and environmental conditions, control device(s)
22 determine(s) a range of vehicle 10 and display(s) the determined
range via display device 26.
Via network 28, measured values and sensor data of the control
devices or sensors 30 are available to control device(s) 22 for
determining the vehicle weight. These data or measured values are,
for example, the route course, vehicle speed, gradient, vehicle
orientation, altitude of the vehicle above/below NN, air flows, and
the number of vehicle passengers, via seat sensors. Control
device(s) 22 then use(s) these data to determine a more precise
vehicle weight and a range of vehicle 10 and display(s) the range
via display unit 26.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic flow chart of a method for determining the
range of vehicle 10.
The method shown in FIG. 2 is basically denoted by 40. Method 40 is
initiated at 42, which, for example, may be done by operating an
ignition of vehicle 10.
At 44, the weight of vehicle 10 is determined, namely on the basis
of general vehicle data 46, acceleration data 48, and/or
recuperation data 50 as well as environmental information 52, e.g.,
topographical data of the navigation system and environmental
information 54 such as weather data. The general vehicle data are
machine torque t, engine speed n, and the vehicle speed.
Acceleration data 48 are made up of requested torque t, the vehicle
acceleration and the reduction in the charge energy, in order to
determine the weight of vehicle 10. As an alternative, recuperation
data is able to be utilized during recuperation operation of
electric drive 14. These recuperation data 50 are the requested
deceleration of vehicle 10, the recuperative braking portion,
possibly the portion of additional brake systems, the vehicle
deceleration and the increase in charge energy of accumulator 20.
As a result, the weight of vehicle 10 is able to be determined from
these recuperation data 50, either in addition or as an
alternative
Furthermore, topographical data 52, such as from a navigation
system, are used to estimate the vehicle weight. These
topographical data 52 are, for example, the gradient of the travel
route, the altitude of the vehicle above/below NN, and the vehicle
orientation.
Moreover, weather data 54 are used to calculate or estimate the
vehicle weight, such as the wind direction and intensity, altitude
of the air flow and air pressure, as well as measurements taken by
the vehicle itself, such as the air flow at different speeds. These
data 46 through 54 are utilized to determine or estimate the
vehicle weight. The determined or estimated vehicle weight is
analyzed at 56. To analyze the vehicle weight, different values,
determined sequentially, are averaged and, depending on the
individual case, either discarded on the basis of environmental
data 52, 54, or weighted to a greater or lesser extent on the basis
of supplementary data 46 through 54. This minimizes measuring
errors and measuring inaccuracies or environmental influences, so
that the determination of the vehicle weight becomes more precise.
Based on environmental data 52 and weather data 54, a quality or
precision of the determined or estimated weight is able to be
ascertained. The determined vehicle weight is forwarded to a range
calculation, which is shown at 58. Additional information 60 is
provided to determine the range. Additional information 60 may be
the charge state of accumulator 20 and a scheduled route course of
vehicle 10. When determining the range, the quality or precision of
the weight determination is taken into account as well. The
determined vehicle weight is furthermore forwarded to additional
control devices 30 of vehicle 10, as shown at 62. This makes it
possible to supply the vehicle weight to other control devices 30,
e.g., to the control of electric drive 14 or to the chassis
control, in order to determine, for example, an optimal braking
point for the greatest utilization of the recuperation potential at
a given vehicle weight, or else, to adapt active damping of the
chassis in order to achieve improved driving dynamics.
The determination of the vehicle weight and the analysis of the
weight value are repeated in stepwise manner, as shown at 64, in
order to optimize the measurement. The range determination, shown
at 58, takes place on a regular basis based on the updated analyzed
data, which are analyzed at 56.
Entire method 40 ends at 66, usually when the ignition of vehicle
10 is switched off or when a door or the trunk is opened, based on
the assumption that this allows weight to be removed or added.
To limit the computational work, all measured data are preferably
collected across a particular time interval, especially across a
complete acceleration or recuperation process, and stored in a
volatile or non-volatile memory of motor vehicle 10. Once the
particular acceleration or recuperation process has been concluded,
the vehicle weight is determined or estimated according to method
40.
In addition, the determined vehicle weight, which may be used as
starting weight when setting off for the next trip at 42, is stored
in a nonvolatile memory at the end of method 40, which is shown at
66.
Moreover, the determined weight values are stored in another
non-volatile memory in order to make them available to the
analysis, which is shown at 56.
At the start of the method at 42, a specific vehicle weight is
normally assumed, e.g., on the basis of the net weight of the
vehicle plus an average weight of an adult person in the
corresponding region, and a determination of the number of
passengers, e.g., via seat sensors and taking the estimated vehicle
weight of the last drive into account. Furthermore, a typical
vehicle weight may be determined via a learning process, for
instance, via vehicle weights at certain times of the day, at a
certain date, a weekday and the like. It is also possible to store
and use the estimated vehicle weight across a longer period of time
and a plurality of preceding drives.
* * * * *